Into the Future
by KuroGalaxy14
Summary: " Our beys are the heart of Beyblade, and every clash they make with each other is the heartbeat. As long as beys continue to clash around the world, the sport will survive. However, if those clashes, those heated battles ever stop, then the sport will die." Set 250 years after Shogun Steel.
1. Nari

**Ello! I am back with another new story, woohoo! This one will probably be shorter than Lost in the Echo was, but I wanted to post it since the idea for it has been in my brain for... About two years, at least. Maybe it's been two and a half or so. Somewhere around there. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

Many people over the years have wondered what kept Beyblade alive. Some might say that it was the Legendary Bladers, but this is only partially true. While we did help the sport recover, and are at the center in the media, we aren't the ones keeping the sport alive. We did protect it, like a suit of armor, and you can count on us being the ones on the front lines when a threat comes, but the sport can and will live on when we're gone. No, we aren't the heartbeat of the sport, but we do create it, as every blader does. Our beys are the heart of Beyblade, and every clash they make with each other is the heartbeat. As long as beys continue to clash around the world, the sport will survive. However, if those clashes, those heated battles ever stop, then the sport will die.

* * *

"Class, please open your textbooks to page 205. Today, we will be entering a rather unique area of the world's history, a time where people could supposedly control a certain type of spinning top with their minds. Before we get started, are there any questions?"

A red-haired teenage boy in the front row raised his hand.

"Yes, Kuro?"

"How is that possible? We can't control things with our minds, can we?"

"Historians and scientists have puzzled over that question for a long time. They speculate that these people may have been superhuman, or there may have been some special physical enhancement, or the tops themselves may have been somehow enhanced with a technology lost to us today. We don't really know the answer to that question. Any others? Then let's begin."

The question remained in Kuro's mind for the rest of the day, however. After school, he sat on a bench in the nearby park, his blue eyes focused on the ground.

"Are you alright, Kuro?"

The redhead glanced up. "I'm fine Shiroi, i was just thinking."

Shiroi sat down next to her brother. "About what?"

"Well, did you have a lesson in history class today about these weird spinning tops that people could control with their minds?"

"Yeah, we did."

"I was just wondering how they were able to control them. The teacher didn't know, and apparently professionals don't either."

"Well, we do have that report about someone in that time that we have to get done."

"Ughh, don't remind me. I hate writing papers."

"But the research part for this one will be interesting."

"Yeah, i know."

Shiroi sighed. "Should we go to the library, perhaps?"

"Yeah. Suppose so. We may as well get started on this." Kuro said, standing and walking off.

* * *

"What do we do? We can't take over the world with you-know-who in the way."

"Of course not. It simply can't be risked or we'll have to wait even longer."

"Exactly."

Glowing red eyes flashed in the darkness for an instant before fading away.

"We will succeed. We merely have to find the right person to take them down."

"I shall get working on that."

"Good. You'd better. And you'd better make it fast."

"Of course."

* * *

"History… History… Hi. Stor. Y. You'd think it'd be easier to find, sheesh." Kuro commented quietly as he and Shiroi walked through the enormous library.

"Should we ask for help finding it?" Shiroi asked.

"No, I can find it." Kuro insisted.

Shiroi sweatdropped. "Suuuuure you can. I'm going to find a librarian." she said, turning and walking off.

"Suit yourself, but I'm going to find it first!" Kuro called quietly after her, earning himself a sharp 'Shh!' from a few nearby people.

"Suuure." Shiroi chuckled under her breath, looking around until she spotted an old woman with long white hair wearing glasses and digging through one of the virtual files in one of the sections.

"Excuse me." Shiroi said.

The woman turned. "Yes, my dear?" She said in a voice that sounded slightly younger than her apparent age.

"Can you help me find the history section?"

"That would be right down this aisle I am working in now. Is there any information in particular you are looking for?"

"Well, me and my brother have to do a report on someone from about two hundred and fifty years ago, and we heard in our class today something about these spinning tops that people could apparently control with their minds. Is there any information on that?" Shiroi asked.

The librarian's eyes flashed brilliantly in an ironically-placed beam of light from a window above them.

"You wish to know about the era of Beyblades?" she asked.

Shiroi blinked. "Of what?"

"Those spinning tops you mentioned. They are known as Beyblades." the librarian said. "Or, they were. Many people today do not remember that name, however."

"You know about them then?" Shiroi asked, interested.

A faint smile appeared on the woman's wrinkled face. "I know a lot more than your teachers likely do." She said.

Shiroi fiddled with her necklace, a hexagonal-shaped piece of who-knew-what with a strange design that nobody had ever been able to decipher. "Could you perhaps help me and my brother with our reports then?" she asked.

"That is what my job is to do. Where is your brother? You keep mentioning him but I do not see him around."

Shiroi looked around. "He was determined to find the history section on his own but I don't see him now."

"Shall we go loo-" the librarian was cut off by a loud girly scream.

Shiroi blinked, then gasped. "Kuro!" She ran towards the sound, the librarian hobbling quickly along behind her. Kuro raced out of one of the longer aisles of data shelves and skidded to a stop as he nearly ran into the two.

"Is something wrong, young man?" The librarian asked calmly.

"T-there's something back there! It flew at me!" Kuro exclaimed.

"Please keep your voice down, sir. You say something flew at you?"

Kuro nodded frantically. "It was like a big dark shadow. With teeth. Lots of teeth."

"Are you sure it was not one of our creature holograms?" the librarian asked.

Kuro nodded again. "I've seen holograms. This wasn't one."

"Some of our holograms are extremely realistic. Please calm down or I will have to ask you to step outside." the librarian said.

"She knows about the spinning top things, Kuro. She can help us." Shiroi said.

Kuro blinked. "Really?"

"Yes, I know quite a bit about them." the librarian said in the same calm voice. "Please, come this way and I will show you the materials we have in the library."

"Alright! Thank you, Mrs, umm…"

"Please, just call me Nari." the woman said.

"Okay Mrs. Nari." Shiroi said, following the woman as she headed off down an aisle of data shelves, her eyes flashing sharply even in the dim light.

 _"I will catch them… Eventually, I will succeed in my plans."_

* * *

 **Yay for first chapters! Yay for being able to update on time despite being busy with a bunch of activities at my college campus before school starts! Hopefully I'll be able to keep my updating schedule regular, but classes start next week, so I don't know if I will be able to. However, I shall definitely try! Until next time, Galaxy out!**


	2. Shadows

**I'm back with another chapter! And this one is a bit shorter than my usual chapter length was for Lost in the Echo and the previous ones, but I honestly don't have nearly as much plotline for this, so chapters are probably going to be a bit shorter, but oh well. Chapter length doesn't determine quality, necessarily, and I don't want to give away too much plotline in one chapter. So, enjoy! And yay for cool cover images! You can go look at my DA for the larger image and for more detail.**

* * *

"Man, I'm glad you asked that librarian lady about this." Kuro puffed as he and Shiroi carried their library books home that evening.

"And you didn't want to ask anyone because you thought that you could find it, but instead you found a hologram." Shiroi rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you're an idiot."

"It wasn't a hologram." Kuro frowned. "Holograms don't breathe."

"They can be made to look like they're breathing though. Seriously, you're an idiot."

"Can they breathe down the back of your neck so that your hairs are all standing on end before declaring that they are going to kill you and leaving a scratch on your arm?" Kuro asked, pointing to his left arm, which had three long red marks down it.

Shiroi's eyes widened. "What in the world… Wait a minute. You're not just making this up to make me feel sorry for you instead of calling you an idiot, are you?"

Kuro sweatdropped. "I don't do that."

Shiroi shrugged. "Whatever. Let's get.. home…" She paused, frowning.

"What is it?" Kuro asked.

"There are eyes in that bush up ahead. The one covered in unnatural shadows."

Kuro bit his lip. "Same eyes as in the library. Believe me now?"

Shiroi nodded slowly. "What do we do?"

"... Run?"

"Where?"

"Back to the library. Go!" Kuro yelped as the shadows themselves lashed out at him and his sister, who clutched their books and ran as fast as they could back to the library, where they burst through the doors and nearly gave Nari a heart attack. The old woman held a hand over her heart, leaning against the front desk.

"Now you two calm down!" She said in a stern yet quiet voice before noticing their panicked expressions. "What's wrong?"

"That thing I was earlier… It's chasing us…!" Kuro exclaimed.

"It's most definitely not a hologram, Mrs. Nari!"

"Hang on. I'll call the police. What did they look like?"

"I don't know! It was just a bunch of shadows all grouped together with six glowing red eyes!" Shiroi exclaimed.

Nari froze, halfway to the phone. "Shadows and glowing eyes?" She said, raising an eyebrow at them.

"You don't believe us… Do you?" Shiroi said.

"That's just a figment of their imagination, Nari." one of the other librarians said.

"Well, perhaps." Nari sighed.

"We have to close up now kids. Run along." the other librarian said sternly.

"But…!" Kuro exclaimed.

"I'll walk with you kids and make sure no flickering shadows scare you." Nari said.

The kids sighed, knowing that what they had seen was no flickering shadow or figment of their imagination. However, they had no choice but to turn around and head back outside into the setting sunlight. Nari followed them, leaving the other librarian to lock up in a scowling manner.

"I do believe you." Nari said once they were out of library earshot.

"Wait, you do?!"

"Because I have seen the same creature before." Nari said.

The kids gasped.

"But it never wanted to kill me. I wonder why it's after you two." Nari said.

"Maybe it doesn't want anyone researching this?" Kuro looked at the books he was carrying.

"That could be part of it." Nari sighed. "But I doubt it's the only reason."

"Could it be after something we have..?" Shiroi wondered, keeping close to Nari, somehow feeling as if the older woman could protect her.

"Do you have anything of value?" Nari muttered.

"Well… There's a necklace that has apparently been passed down for generations that I have, but I don't think that it's that valuable. It looks sorta like some sort of gemstone, but it's weirdly shaped." Shiroi pulled out her necklace and looked at it. Nari's eyes flashed in surprise.

"That could be it. Do not let it get that." She said suddenly.

"Huh?" Kuro blinked.

"Kids! Oh, I was so worried!" A woman with pink hair rushed off of her front porch to the two and hugged them tightly. "I told you to be home before sunset, not during it!"

"Sorry, we were at the library." Shiroi grunted.

"Not so tight, mom! We're fine!" Kuro yelped.

"Inside, both of you!" she exclaimed.

"Bye Mrs. Nari! Thanks again for your help!" The two said as their mother bustled them inside.

Nari nodded and chuckled slightly, then turned away and frowned as she began walking away. "A shadow with glowing red eyes, huh? So, you are returning, just as you threatened when I was young."

"But of course." a voice, deep, growling, ominous, replied.

Nari tensed, looking around slowly. "Come out!"

"Or what, you'll shake that pathetic cane of yours at me?"

"If that's what's necessary, then yes."

"Face it, 'Nari.' So that's what you go by now, is it? You can't beat me. Not this time. We're already gaining in strength. You can't find the required power to beat us this time. Not fast enough."

"Implying that I can find it." Nari narrowed her eyes as they glinted brilliantly in the setting sunlight. "And I'm faster than I look."

"In that old thing? You've undoubtedly lost much of your speed and skills. You've even grown fat!"

"Fat doesn't quite cover this you old slug! I'm still fit!"

"Uh-huh. Sure. I saw how unsteadily you walked just now and how unsteadily you're standing now."

"So?"

"Temper, temper! I'm surprised it hasn't dulled with everything else that age has brought on. Face it. You're weak now."

"Never. I'm never weak. And you don't know where the others are, so you can't weaken me."

"You can only try to beat me."

"I've done it before. And you know nothing about me."

"Ha! I know that you can't do it this time! But for now, since our preparations are not quite complete, I will leave you to fret over how you're going to attempt to beat us before pathetically failing at it."

Nari shielded her face and struck at the air with her cane as a dark shadow flew out of a bush, soon knocking her down and knocking her into darkness.

* * *

"Mrs. Nari?! Can you hear us?!"

Nari awoke to the sound of a beeping heart monitor and two slightly frantic young voices.

"She's awake mom!" Kuro called as soon as he noticed that she was awake.

"Leave her alone, kids. She needs to rest." Their tired and exasperated mother sighed.

"How… Did I get here?" Nari asked, her voice weak and shaky.

"We saw you get attacked and our mom called for help." Shiroi explained.

"Oh…" Nari sighed.

"Kids, let her rest." their mother said.

"Your name…?" Nari asked.

"Hoshi. Hoshi Shishiya."

Nari nodded slightly and sighed, wincing. "Darn him…"

"Him?" Kuro and Shiroi, who had seen what had actually attacked the old woman, were confused.

"Your shadow friend is male." Nari sighed. "In case you didn't know."

"...Oh."Shiroi said.

"... Shadow friend?" Hoshi frowned.

"Using the term 'friend' in the loosest possible sense, Mrs. Shishiya." Nari explained. "This being is not in the slightest a friend to anyone but his master."

"... How do you know so much?"

"I'm old. Older than I look. I've seen them before, that's all."

* * *

 **There ya go. Nice and mysterious. You're welcome. Until next time, Galaxy out!**


	3. Association

**I'ma back! Sorta surprised that I've been able to update regularly, but I doubt any of us will complain about that, lol. As long as I can stay on top of things like I apparently have been then updates will keep coming. Enjoy!**

* * *

"You've seen them before?!" Kuro and Shiroi looked surprised, while their mother looked confused.

Nari nodded, coughing lightly. "A long time ago, when I was young..er."

"... You're not young right now." Hoshi pointed out bluntly.

Nari chuckled. "You kids have no clue. No clue at all. I have seen many things in my lifetime. I saw the sport in your history books fade from the world."

The kids gasped.

"That's how you know so much about it! It was still around when you were young!" Kuro exclaimed.

"Yes. It was. And those were glorious times." Nari smiled nostalgically.

The three Shishiyas smiled at Nari, watching as she reminisced for a few moments before scowling. "Those idiots. They must be stopped. I'll see to it personally if I have to."

"Who are they?" Shiroi asked.

"Shadows. Not human."

"Alien?!' The twins eeped.

"In a way." Nari said.

"You studied this extensively, didn't you?" Hoshi asked.

"More so than anyone else you'll find." Nari began getting up.

"Well we got that much. And shouldn't you stay in bed?" Hoshi asked.

"I have to make a phone call. Now don't you get in my way young lady!" Nari grabbed her cane and shook it in Hoshi's face as the woman tried to help her.

"... Why are old ladies so independent?" Kuro asked as Nari walked right out of the room and off down the hallway.

"I have no clue… But we'd better follow her." Hoshi sighed. "And call a nurse."

* * *

Before the group knew it, they were all back at the library. Nari was hobbling rapidly towards the very back of one aisle of the long data shelves, and was surprisingly almost out of sight by the time the twins and their mother reached that aisle.

"How does she move so fast yet look like she's moving so slowly?!" Kuro panted slightly.

"Old ladies are weird." Shiroi commented.

"I heard that." Nari said, turning to the side and tapping her cane on the floor. "We're here."

"Where is here?"

"The entrance to a secret organization that was created a long time ago to fight those shadows. Its care was entrusted to me upon the death of the previous director."

"Whoa…. So that's how you know what those things are?"

Nari nodded. "You two wanted information for your research paper? The library is not the best place to find it. What's underneath the library, however…" She paused and turned to the shelves, before selecting a single file and pressing it far inwards. Immediately, the floor beneath her, the twins, and their mother sank down, a second floor sliding shut over their heads as soon as they were low enough.

"Whaaaaa?!" The twins eeped as they were left in total darkness. Their mother stared wide-eyed, despite the fact that there was really nothing to stare at.

"Be patient." Nari's voice said as they continued to move, far, far down until they were suddenly surrounded by light once more.

"What took you so long?" A deep voice grumbled as an older man came over.

"Calm down, Sutoshi. I was helping kids in the library."

"Not all night long, you weren't."

"... I was held up by our little 'friends,' who seem to have reared their ugly heads again."

Sutoshi snorted at this, emerald eyes flashing. "They never learn. Whatever. We'll take them down again."

"We do not hold the power that we once did." Another male voice cut in. Nari and Sutoshi turned.

"... Is this place run by old people?" Kuro asked at the sight of yet another old man in stately-looking robes.

"We have enough power, Moru. We merely have to go get them." Sutoshi growled.

"You know that we don't. We're now older than we were before. The last time we fought them we still were young from a physical standpoint."

Hoshi and her children merely looked confused. Moru turned his attention to them.

"Welcome to the secret organization known formally as the Legendary Bladers' Association." Moru said. "For years, this organization has kept the world safe from various threats before they become a problem. It is currently under the control of the three of us that you see here, plus seven others. We are the only employees right now, but at its height this organization employed thousands."

"Whoa…" the kids stared around.

"One of your ancestors once worked here." Nari said. "If I am not mistaken, that is."

"Really?!" Kuro and Shiroi seemed excited, while Hoshi looked frightened at the sudden discovery of the entire organization hidden under the library.

Nari turned to one of the screens hanging on the wall and turned it on. "Takanosuke Shishiya." She said as a picture of a blond-haired young man came up on screen. "And actually, you only get your last name from him, as clearly you did not get the genetic traits."

"Our dad looks like him, but we both look like our mom." Kuro said.

"I can see that bloodline running strong." Nari chuckled. "Then again, those traits were always strong in the family."

"You mean our red hair and blue eyes?" The two said.

Nari nodded. "Clearly your bloodline also comes from the Hagane line, which is an interesting fact."

"How so?"

Nari pulled up an image of a man with fiery red hair and golden-brown eyes. "This is probably your most famous ancestor. When he was alive, he was the strongest blader in the world. He is also one of the ones who founded this organization. Traditionally there have always been ten people in charge of it, hence why there are ten now. The entire organization is named after the original group, the Legendary Bladers. I would suggest writing your paper on one of them."

"... Did you bring us here just to show us info that would help us with our paper?" Kuro asked.

"No, but this info will help you. I brought you here because there's something we all have to do if we are to defeat those shadows. They are already targeting your family, and they target you because you are descendants of Gingka. He beat them both a long time ago, when he was your age."

"But.. We can't beat those guys. We don't even know how."

"You can help us beat them. We know how to do it." Nari said, smiling. "We need several parts of something."

"Of what?" Shiroi asked.

"You already have two of them, if I'm not mistaken." Nari said, pulling up an image on screen.

"What sort of weird technology is that?" Hoshi asked.

"It's no technology. That, youngsters, is a bey." Nari said as the parts spread out. "Specifically, the one known as Samurai Pegasus. The parts are scattered around the country and must be brought back if we are to defeat those shadows."

"You're forgetting the other beys." Sutoshi said.

"I was getting there." Kaminari said. "All of the Legendary Beys must be brought together if the shadows are to be defeated.

"But what are the shadows, exactly? Shadows aren't normally dangerous." Hoshi said skeptically.

"You want to know? Very well." Nari pulled up an image of a black and silver bey, as well as a silver and clear one. "These two beys are Lightning L-Drago and Diablo Nemesis. They have both been around for a very long time and they are both very dangerous."

"And they were attacking us?" Kuro asked.

"Yes." Nari replied.

"Why?" Shiroi asked.

"Don't annoy her, please, kids." Hoshi said,

"They aren't annoying, don't worry. I'm here to answer questions anyway." Nari said. "In short because they think you are the only ones who can stop them, who are a threat. For one thing, you, Shiroi, are carrying one of the bey parts."

"Ehh?!"

* * *

 **Hehehe. I feel so sneaky right now. Everyone here obviously spotted what's basically me bringing the LBA back into a story, but if any of you spotted the other thing that I brought back from previous stories then I'll be impressed. Fairly impressed. Good luck! Until next time, Galaxy out!**


	4. Tatsuhime

**I'ma back! Literally wrote this chapter within about three hours of posting the last one so I was waiting all week to post it lol. Perhaps I'll try to do the same thing again and be ahead every week like this because it's really nice. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"How do I already have one of them?!" Shiroi asked, her mouth agape.

"Your necklace. Hold it up and look." Nari pulled up the image of Samurai Pegasus's parts again.

Shiroi did so.

"It's the top part?!" Kuro exclaimed. "So that's why it's a weird shape! It belongs to a larger piece!"

"It's the facebolt of the most powerful bey in the world. You have had a piece of history hanging around your neck the whole time." Nari said.

"Whoa… So they want to take this then?" Shiroi said.

"Without it we are missing a major part of our attack power." Nari said. "I have had some go and recover the books from your house. You will need to start on the research. We cannot go get the pieces and we no longer know where they all are. There are thirty-six pieces total that must be found. We have one. That leaves thirty-five."

Shiroi took off her necklace and looked at the dull piece of white crystal. "This design then… What is it?"

"The emblem of Pegasus. Every face bolt has the emblem of the bey." Nari explained. "But you have it upside-down." She pulled up an image on the screen, the same image that was on the face bolt. "See the Pegasus's wings spreading on the sides?"

"Oh!" The kids exclaimed, their faces full of wonder.

"Always a cool sight to see, a couple of kids lost in awe at new knowledge they have gained." Moru said.

Sutoshi nodded, grunting.

"Alright you, quit being such a grumpy old man." A cane tapped Sutoshi on the shoulder.

"I am not a grumpy old man." Sutoshi growled.

"Are too." Another old lady, this one a lot smaller, walked around in front of him, poking her cane into the center of his

"Shut up, Kiko." Sutoshi snarled.

Kiko merely giggled, her golden eyes sparkling.

"One other thing we need to find." Nari said. "And once I've said this, we can get started. This will be the hardest part."

"Why is that?" Kuro asked.

"Because living things tend to move. The bey parts are inanimate. Someone would have to move them. However, the last part of the equation must be found and convinced, and Tatsuhime will not be easily convinced."

"Who's Tatsuhime?" Hoshi asked, frowning. "That name… Sounds familiar."

"Do you have any Kishatu blood in your family?" Nari asked, looking at the young woman. "You do. I can see it in your eyes, the fierceness that characterizes that bloodline."

"We do…" Hoshi said. "And the people from that side of the family were especially fierce at times. I remember my grandfather, he was the last in our family to carry the Kishatu name."

"Tatsuhime, to put it simply, is one of your ancestors, but she is still alive, unless something extremely unlikely and near impossible happened." Nari said.

"... Wouldn't her being still alive from however long be a bit impossible?" Kuro asked.

"You tell me. She's over two thousand years old."

The other three recoiled. "How in the world?!"

"She's not human. It is a very small portion of your bloodline by now, but all of you are part non-human. Tatsuhime is quite literally this in human form." Nari pulled up yet another image, this one of a jet black bey with red accents. "L-Drago Destroy. The blazing dragon who was once used by none other than Ryuga Kishatu.

"Dragon…?!" The kids eeped.

"Wait, you said she was the human form, then showed us a bey, then said she was a dragon. Which is it?" Hoshi asked.

"All three." Nari said, turning to look at them.

"... How?"

"She can transition between the three, which will make it a challenge to find her since she hasn't been seen since the death of her blader over two hundred years ago."

"So… how do you know she's still alive?" Hoshi asked.

"We don't." Sutoshi snorted.

"Oh, hush, Shi." Kiko said, poking him with her cane once more, much to his annoyance.

"All that we do know about her points to her being still alive. She is extremely powerful and a bey. If she's still on earth, there is no human that can kill her. Even if she is back on her home planet, then it would be extremely difficult for any of her own kind to kill her due to her power." Nari explained.

"So… How do we find her?" Kuro asked.

"That we have to figure out. The beys will likely have to be found first."

"Couldn't we just go talk to them too?" Shiroi asked.

"There is only one problem with that idea." Nari said. "Until their bey forms are put back together, they will be essentially comatose."

Kuro frowned. "But where are the parts?"

"We have a map of where they were last seen. All of them are on this island of Japan, so not too much travel will be required."

"Wait, are you asking us to do this?" Hoshi said.

"We can't exactly do it ourselves. Plus, they will be fine."

"You're going to send just my children off by themselves?!" Hoshi shrieked.

"Well you can go with them if you'd like" Sutoshi said.

"But they're just kids! They're only fifteen!" Hoshi said.

"It was a group of 'just kids' that saved the world four times within the same ten years, Mrs. Shishiya." Nari said calmly. "And your ancestors were all among that group. Takanosuke Shishiya, Gingka Hagane, Ryuga Kishatu, and more. All of those names that I have mentioned. Gingka was twelve the first time he went traveling around Japan by himself. Takanosuke was ten. Case in point, it can happen and they will likely be fine."

"Likely?!" Hoshi shrieked. Everyone else winced at her tone.

"Got some Tendo genes in there, perhaps?" Nari wondered aloud, rubbing one ear with her finger.

"As a matter of fact yes but what does that have to do with anything?" Hoshi growled angrily.

"There's the Kishatu ferocity." Sutoshi chuckled, stepping over with his eyes blazing surprisingly brightly for his age. Angered golden eyes met with wild green for a while before Hoshi huffed and looked away.

"In the old days a Kishatu would have never looked away. They would have maintained eye contact until the other ran away." A low, growling female voice said.

Everyone in the room automatically tensed.

"Pathetic, but then again I suppose you're not entirely Kishatu."

"The bloodline isn't exactly going to stay fierce when mixed with others." Nari said.

"I knew that. And you, what do you think you're doing? All of you. Idiots. Idiots playing a game."

"W-who's there?!" Kuro yelped, looking around.

Heavy footsteps sounded as a woman came into view. Her white hair contrasted sharply with her blazing red eyes, yet she was clearly not old.

"Tatsuhime, what a surprise. I wasn't expecting you to just show up." Nari said.

"Cut the chatter, idiot. I heard your entire conversation." Tatsuhime snarled, her eyes flashing at the older-looking woman.

"Well then you know what we have to do."

"I'll escort the idiots personally if I have to. This time, Nemesis will not defeat me."

* * *

 **Yay Tatsuhime! I haven't used her in forever, lol. This story is getting fast-paced. I'm not sure it'll be as well-written as some others because of lack of plot material, but I'm working on that.**


	5. Attack

**Blah, blah, I have nothing to say other than enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Kuro and Shiroi stared at the fierce woman nervously.

"Come. We begin now. Your mother can come if she'd like to, or she can stay behind." Tatsuhime said sternly.

"There is no way I'm leaving my children with a woman I've just met." Hoshi snapped. "I'm coming."

"Then you'd better be able to keep up." Tatsuhime said. "Master Ryuga never waited for anyone who was following him, and I won't either, although I will confine myself to normal human speeds."

The two kids gulped.

"Well then, go on. Have fun." Nari said, smiling at them.

Tatsuhime turned, her long white and red braid nearly wrapping itself around her waist from how quickly she moved. She began walking off, her multicolored boots clanking lightly against the floor as a red scaled tail whipped the air behind her. Kuro and Shiroi stared at it as they followed her, while Hoshi looked nervous and followed them.

"Our friends at school will never believe this…" Shiroi whispered as they stepped outside into the dark night, Tatsuhime pulling a hooded cloak out of seemingly nowhere and putting it on to hide her fierce red eyes and dragon's tail. .

"That's right… How are we gonna explain absences?" Kuro frowned.

"Those things tend to be forgotten in the wake of a world-wide catastrophe." Tatsuhime said without turning around.

"Oh… Wait, what?!" The twins yelped, pausing.

"Which is what we're trying to prevent, so hurry up." Tatsuhime snarled over her shoulder. The two gulped and hurriedly followed, wondering just what they had gotten themselves into.

Then, it all happened at once. Shiroi's eyes glowed brilliant blue for a split second. In the same instant, a woman's scream echoed, causing both of the twins to whirl towards their mother.

"Mom!" Shiroi screamed, Kuro holding her back before she could dash for the shadow attacking their mother.

"Not on my watch!" Tatsuhime punctuated her sentence with a loud, echoing roar as, in a flash of light, she suddenly became a fearsome dragon with brilliant red-orange scales. The twins could have sworn that they heard a faint cry of 'let it rip!' as the dragon attacked the shadow, biting down on what appeared to be a neck and blowing flames between her teeth.

A second roar echoed, this one from the shadow before it dissipated and reformed high above their heads.

"You may have finally come out, but you will fail again, Tatsuhime!" the shadow snarled before again fading away, leaving a frightening imprint of glowing red eyes on those who had seen it.

"Mom!" The twins rushed to their mother, who was laying on the ground. Tatsuhime shrank down and was soon once more humanoid, kneeling down solemnly next to Hoshi and pressing two fingers to the woman's neck.

"Is she alright?!" Kuro asked, looking frightened.

"She will be. She needs to lie still and quiet. Where is your home?"

"Uhh… "Kuro thought for a moment, then gave Tatsuhime the address. The dragon woman gave a slight nod before lifting Hoshi in her arms and disappearing, only to reappear seconds later without the woman.

"I took her home. We must continue." Tatsuhime said calmly, continuing to walk as if nothing had happened.

"But… Our mom…" Shiroi whispered.

"Your mother was lucky she was merely knocked out cold. That could have been much worse had Inazuma used more power." Tatsuhime said. "You two must stay very close behind me or the same or worse could happen to you. Right now you are the only ones who possess the ability to find the other parts easily, which is why I'm bothering to bring you with me."

"You can't just go find them with that speed…?" Kuro asked.

"No. I cannot. And trust me, I have tried. I tried when these goons first began awaking, but then found that I was going to have to wait for a trace of the LBA to reappear. They said that I had not been seen, but really it was that I did not know where they were. Then again, that was our agreement."

The kids looked down and sighed, continuing to follow Tatsuhime wordlessly.

"How… Are we the only ones who can tell?" Shiroi asked.

"Your eyes. They flash with a light that humans would term unnatural whenever you come near a portion of the star fragment." Tatsuhime explained.

"... Ehh?" Shiroi looked confused.

"You both have a very small amount of bey blood running through your veins. The beys we are looking for all possess the power of a star fragment that fell back in the time when my master was young. When one piece possessing that power comes near you, your eyes glow." Tatsuhime explained shortly.

"... Oh..." Shiroi sighed.

"We have a lot of ground to cover. I know the general area where the first one is. They must be done in a certain order..." Tatsuhime muttered.

"Why is that?" Kuro asked.

"Because, young ones... The places we have to go require a key to open them. That key is a part from another of the legendary beys. My own is not a key to any, but the facebolt Shiroi possesses will give us access to the remainder of its parts."

"So... They're locked away somewhere?" Shiroi asked.

"In the tomb of their bladers." Tatsuhime replied. "And until we put all the pieces together, we will not be able to defeat our enemies. My comrades are sleeping, and the only way to wake them up is to reassemble them."

"You're saying you failed to eliminate the brats?"

"All I managed to do was knock their mother unconscious before one of our old enemies showed up." The shadow scowled.

"Oh?" The figure sitting in shadow leaned forwards, interested. "And which one of those annoying little idiots has reared their head first, Inazuma?"

"My idiot 'successor.'" Inazuma snarled. "She stole everything I had. I will defeat her one day."

"That is impossible for you, Inazuma. As you may remember, you lost to the twin brother of that irritating Kaminari. Tatsuhime is much more powerful than Raiden was. You do not possess the power to beat her."

"Don't remind me!" Inazuma snarled angrily. "I am well aware of that battle's outcome."

"Good. You should be. That is why you joined with me, is it not?"

"Yes…" Inazuma scowled slightly, but hid it. "But you need me as much as I need you. Without me, you lack the strength to leave this place."

"That is why you must not fail." The figure scowled, glancing down at the shackles on his wrists that bound him to the chair he was sitting in.

"I will not." Inazuma promised.

"Good. If we gain even one part, they will not reawaken. That is your task, Inazuma. Do not fail me or the consequences will be serious."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Inazuma rolled his glowing red eyes and left.

"Just you all wait…" The other figure snarled. "I will come out on top this time. Then the destruction that I was born to inflict on the universe will prevail!"

* * *

 **Ominousness. Sorta. I'm still not sure exactly what I'm doing but this story is working itself out in more detail in my mind, lol. Until next time, Galaxy out!**


	6. Travel

Grunting and snapping sounds echoed as Tatsuhime, Kuro, and Shiroi pushed through the thick foliage of a forest.

"Just… How far… Do we have to go here?" Kuro grunted before yelping as he was whacked in the face with a branch and knocked flat on his back.

"Kuro!" Shiroi exclaimed, running back to her brother. "I'm sorry!"

"It's… Okay…" Kuro sat up, shaking his head to clear his vision. Tatsuhime turned around and watched the two as Shiroi helped her brother up, frowning at the gash on his cheek that the branch had inflicted.

"I'm fine, let's keep going." Kuro grunted, dusting himself off and continuing on. Tatsuhime nodded slightly in approval at this as she turned and kept walking.

"We're almost there." She stated. "Once we are, we will camp inside for the night. We will not be able to make another tomb by nightfall, and our enemies would not dare enter the tomb themselves.

Shiroi and Kuro glanced at each other at this announcement.

"Uhh… Wouldn't sleeping in a tomb be sorta… Creepy…?"

Tatsuhime paused, surprise shining on her face. She had forgotten that most humans were rather wimpy and did not like sleeping in places they deemed 'uncomfortable' or 'creepy.' Ryuga had never had such an annoying fantasy. The dragon woman pinched the bridge of her nose for a few seconds before turning towards the two.

"There will be nothing to fear once inside. What you should truly be afraid of will not dare to enter."

The kids gulped.

"But…" Shiroi began, "What's in that tomb that that… thing… would be scared of?"

"Nothing but a blader who they fear who has been dead for a very long time." Tatsuhime said, turning and continuing. "And he will not be able to harm us even if he wanted to."

"She's not gonna change her mind, is she?" Kuro whispered to his sister.

"No, I'm not. Sleeping in a tomb, even in your minds, has to be better than sleeping out in the open where our enemies could strike without warning." Tatsuhime said.

"She could hear me?!" Kuro eeped.

Tatsuhime released a deep, growling chuckle. "I have extremely sharp hearing. You must remember that I am not human."

"... Right…" Kuro muttered.

"Look around you now." Tatsuhime said, pausing suddenly.

Kuro and Shiroi did so. "Uhh… What are we looking at or for?"

Tatsuhime drew her katana and slashed through a few vines, clearing them away and revealing a ruined building.

"The village." She said, sheathing her weapon once more.

"Oh,.. Oooooh!" The two looked around, suddenly seeing all of the half-fallen and still-standing structures around them, hidden beneath the thick foliage of the forest.

"What is this place?" Shiroi asked.

"Once it was a bustling village. It is known as Koma Village. This is around where Kaminari and her brother, plus many others, first landed, causing the humans of that day to start what became known as the sport of Beyblade.

"So… Where is the exact spot, then?" Shiroi asked.

"This way." Tatsuhime said, walking off in another direction.

"How is it even possible to navigate here? We'd be going in circles." Kuro said.

"I know the area. That is all. I have known it for years." Tatsuhime said before Shiroi could respond.

"So… If the other beys landed near here… Then you guys aren't from Earth?" Kuro said slowly.

"Our home planet is miles away." Tatsuhime said. "No human could reach it alone. We may have to go there eventually."

"Why would we have to go there?"

"That is where our enemies are lurking for the time being. They are beginning to come here, but they must be based on Spiriestorian if their goal is to release an ancient threat that has been defeated twice."

"They just don't know when to give up then?" Shiroi asked.

Tatsuhime snorted. "Annoyingly enough."

The twins giggled. Tatsuhime smiled despite herself. She had to admit that she was rather enjoying this. It was nice to not be traveling alone, for a change. And, she had to admit, it would be nice to see her old allies again, to truly see them. But first, they had to reach all nine graves. Not one of the others should be put together until all of them had been found. The outbreak of energy from a reawakening bey would be easily felt by their enemies, especially when one of their enemies had the tenth portion of the Star Fragment.

"... My feet hurt."

"Mine too."

Tatsuhime nearly facepalmed, but managed to keep her hand at her side.

"Can we stop and rest for a bit?" Kuro asked.

"If we stop now our enemies may catch up to us before we reach the first tomb."

"Do we have to sleep in that thing?"

"Yes."

"Why can't we just sleep in one of those buildings where they wouldn't find us?"

"We're sleeping in the tomb. End of story. We still have a mountain to climb."

"What?! But we've already been walking almost all day! We don't have the energy for that!"

"I'm hungry. Did we bring any food?"

"We are climbing the mountain and no we didn't bring any food."

"Then we should go back and get some! Can't you fly?!"

Tatsuhime stopped and banged her head against a tree, so hard that it caused a shockwave that knocked several nearby trees over. The twins froze, their eyes widening. Tatsuhime rubbed her forehead.

"Just shut up and keep walking." She growled.

The twins sighed and nodded, following the dragon woman as she continued on.

"And for your information, we were going to fly up most of the mountain." Tatsuhime grumbled.

The twins let out a heavy sigh of exhaustion and relief.

"But we're going to get to the base of it at least before we do. And you will have to hang on while we are flying." Tatsuhime said.

The two whined pathetically, their shoulders slumping. Tatsuhime groaned, wondering why she had to be the one stuck with them. Then she remembered: It was because she had decided to be the one to remain free to roam rather than being locked in her own mind until someone came along and awoke her. Who needed emotion, anyway? While she did miss her blader, she wasn't going to lock herself away like the others had.

A light sigh escaped Tatsuhime's lips as she allowed her mind to wander back over two hundred and fifty years ago, to the times she and Ryuga had had before his humanity took its toll, leading to his eventual death. Tatsuhime was not one to cry, but she had felt what seemed to be a dull ache in her heart when her blader's heart had ceased to beat, when she could no longer hear him in her mind as anything more than an echo.

A sudden startled cry from behind her attracted Tatsuhime's thoughts back to the task at hand.

"Kuro!" Shiroi yelped, peering down a hole. Tatsuhime sighed and went over, jumping down inside the hole.

"The vines cannot support your weight. That's why you fell through." She said, flying Kuro out of the hole.

"What's that shiny green stuff down there?" Kuro asked.

"You wanted to know where beys first arrived. It was there." Tatsuhime said. "We are close to our destination."

"How close?"

Tatsuhime pointed to the top of a looming, snow-capped mountain. "That is what we are climbing."

"EHHH?!"


	7. Tomb

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are we close?"

"No."

"How much farther is it?"

"I told you an hour ago."

"But that was an hour ago! How far is it now?"

"Less far than it was before."

"... I knew that! I mean like, the distance!"

"Far enough that we're not there yet."

"Why won't you just tell us?"

"Just keep walking."

"But we're tired!"

"Keep walking anyway."

"You said we'd ride up!"

"Up. We're not even to the base of the mountain yet."

"So? Why can't we just ride now? It'd be faster and the sun's already setting."

"No, we're just in a deeper part of the trees. It'll get lighter once we get out of this thick area."

"How do you know that?"

"Enough questions!" Tatsuhime finally whirled and snarled at them, her eyes flashing a brilliant red among the trees. Kuro and Shiroi yelped and clung to each other in fright as Tatsuhime stared at them for a few seconds before turning and continuing on her way towards the distant mountain peak.

"Why did we come with her again…?" Kuro whispered.

"We have no choice?" Shiroi sighed. "I dunno. But now we have to stick with her, that's all, I suppose."

"Researching something shouldn't be this complicated." Kuro grumbled.

"No kidding." Shiroi giggled. "But adventures like this don't come every day."

"I wish adventures like this weren't so tiring and confusing." Kuro muttered.

"No kidding." Shiroi groaned.

"We're here." Tatsuhime announced, stepping out of the trees and coming face to face with a half-ruined wall and a set of gates that had long ago fallen off their hinges.

Shiroi and Kuro looked up at the gates in surprise. "Those… Are huge."

"Mmhmm. Now climb on." Tatsuhime glowed. "We'll be at the top- and the tomb- in five minutes."

The twins mouths dropped open as they looked at the still-distant peak, then at Tatsuhime, then back at the mountain peak.

"How?!"

Tatsuhime chuckled, a sound that grew deeper and fiercer as she lengthened and transformed into a dragon with shining red-orange scales.

"Let's go." She growled, grabbing one teen in each of her large front claws and taking off. The two squealed in fright and clung tightly to her scales as they flew up the mountain at breakneck speed, the air rapidly growing colder and colder as they did so. The twins shivered as they looked around, both dizzy from the sudden change in altitude and temperature.

Tatsuhime looked down in slight alarm as they both went limp in her grasp. She sighed heavily and shook her head, suddenly remembering that she would have to be more careful. Even this sort of quick ascent Ryuga had often not liked, but Tatsuhime knew that it was essential to get to the top of the mountain before the sun fully set. Hopefully the twins would awaken soon.

By the time Tatsuhime reached the top of the mountain, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. She laid the two teenagers down with an amount of care that she had not shown in a long time, since Ryuga had died, in fact. With a slight sigh, Tatsuhime slipped the necklace off of Shiroi's neck and untied the string from around it. She then carefully inserted the face bolt into a small hole in the door and stepped back, waiting.

"Come on… Recognize it... " The dragon woman muttered, then smirked as a faint blue glow came from the crystalline piece, retracting inside and turning. The blue glow cut off abruptly as the doors slammed open. Tatsuhime lifted the two teens, tucking one under each arm, and darted into the dank, still air. She set the unconscious teenagers down on the ground and pulled the facebolt out of the doors, which then slammed shut with a loud echo.

Kuro and Shiroi jerked upright. "Where are we?!" They whimpered.

"Relax." Tatsuhime opened her mouth and released a stream of flames that lit several torches around the room.

"We're in the tomb?!" The twins eeped, their faces nearly white in fear.

"Relax. If you must know where the dead body is it's in the center of the back wall." Tatsuhime grunted, sitting down crosslegged.

"Um… If we're sealed in… Which we are, judging by the air… Then aren't flames dangerous?" Kuro asked.

"Not my flames. They burn until I put them out. They need no fuel but my power." Tatsuhime said, sitting crosslegged on the floor a few feet away, her body glowing a light orange color from the flames that burned inside her.

"O-oh…"

"So… Who's… Buried… Here?" Shiroi asked.

Tatsuhime pointed towards the back of the room. "See for yourself."

The twins gulped and looked towards the back, spotting a large pillar of brilliant blue crystal.

"He sleeps inside that." Tatsuhime said, standing and walking slowly towards the opaque pillar. The twins, not really wanting to go closer to the dead person sleeping in the tomb but not wanting to be too far from Tatsuhime, followed.

Tatsuhime pulled out a black and red bey, which immediately glowed orange in her grasp. She pressed its face against the blue pillar, which lit up and slowly grew more transparent. The twins tensed, expecting to see a skeleton, but were surprised and intrigued at what they saw instead.

Inside the pillar floated an old man, spiked white hair mixed with a faded red streak here and there, the long bangs that had never really gone away hanging down over a blue headband and framing the kind, peaceful looking face that they saw. A slight smile was frozen on his white lips, his eyes lightly closed, pale hands resting one atop the other over his heart.

"How is he.. Not decaying?"

"The crystal prevents that." Tatsuhime said. "This is how beys are buried. Kaminari, his bey, figured it was only fitting that the man who was once known as the strongest blader in the world be buried in this manner. 'He aged, but he will not decay outwardly.' Those were her words when she did this."

"W-who is it..?"

"Probably your most famous ancestor. Gingka Hagane." Tatsuhime sighed. "Ryuga and I fought him and Kaminari many times. Her facebolt that is the only thing that allows access into this tomb. Her remaining pieces are also buried here. That is what we are here for."

"He looks like he'd be a really nice person… I bet he'd have stories to tell."

"He was." Tatsuhime grumbled. "A bit overly friendly and whiny when he was younger, but as he aged he grew less so. He traveled with me and Ryuga once, before we had all had children. Too many arguments on that trip for my taste."

The kids chuckled at this, reaching out to touch the glowing blue crystal. They drew their hands back sharply and gasped.

"What was that…?" Curiosity overtook them and they reached out again, laying their hands firmly on the crystal.

"This… I feel all excited now.. Like… Ready to take on the world…" Kuro blinked.

"His power is still alive. That's essentially Kaminari you are feeling. She's still connected to him, in a way, even though he is gone."

"So… Where is she then?" Kuro asked, removing his hand from the crystal.

Tatsuhime removed her bey form from the crystal, causing it to go back to the former opaque form.

"She is here." Tatsuhime said, climbing the pillar and reaching atop it, into a hidden crevice. She then pulled out four more pieces, a gleaming silver ringlike structure, a glittering blue ringlike structure, and two strange red crystalline ones.

"These are the remaining pieces of her bey form. She sleeps." Tatsuhime slid the pieces into a pouch at her side, along with the white facebolt.

"... We're not going to wake her up?"

"Not yet. For now-" Tatsuhime was cut off by an angered roar sounding from outside the tomb.

"Inazuma…" The dragon woman snarled.


	8. City

**Woohoo! I'm back on time! And without having to speedily write something at the lest second because of a moment of "Oh yeah I'm supposed to update today!" There will be no more of those moments for this story. In fact, I'm even DOUBLE updating today! Enjoy!**

* * *

It had been two weeks since the group had spent the night inside Gingka's tomb. Much to Tatsuhime's relief, Kuro and Shiroi had both grown tougher over this time, and no longer was the dragon woman forced to hear their constant complaining.

"How many are there, anyway?" Kuro asked, panting, as he scrambled atop a rock and turned to help his sister up.

Tatsuhime turned slightly. "There are nine total that we have to go to. We have visited eight."

"So… Who's the ninth then?" Kuro asked.

"You can't just wait until we get there?" Tatsuhime jumped down off the rock and to the ground.

"... I wanna know!"

Tatsuhime growled under her breath and the twins fell silent, not wanting to push the dragon's temper, as they had seen all too many times what Tatsuhime did when angry. One of these times had resulted in the near-collapse of Aguma's tomb, which apparently hadn't been as sturdy as it had looked when subjected to the stress of a dragon's rage.

"If you must know we're going to the tomb of the first one to gain my master's trust and friendship." Tatsuhime grumbled after several minutes of walking in silence.

"Really? That's cool. Tell us about him?" Shiroi suggested cautiously, hoping that the red-eyed woman was in a mood for sharing.

"He was annoying at first." Tatsuhime grunted. "Him and his bey. Isamu especially since he could see me and wouldn't shut up on how his blader was going to convince mine to join forces with the others. Eventually Ryuga began growing slightly fond of the kid, although he had no clue how to show it. In the end though he gave up part of his own power just so the little guy could survive and be a legendary blader like he wanted."

"Cool." The twins said as Tatsuhime finished with a grunt, indicating that she had nothing more to say on the subject for the time being.

"We're here." The dragon growled, pausing in the center of a rocky wasteland covered in ruins and looking around.

"What was this before?" Kuro asked.

Tatsuhime leapt atop a rock. "Up here. I'll show you." She said, an undertone of sorrow in her voice. The twins blinked in surprise at this and scrambled up next to her.

"Look around. What do you see?" Tatsuhime said.

The twins looked, and they saw nothing more than piles of concrete and shattered glass. They saw structures that must have once been proud skyscrapers leaning dangerously to one side, half of one side missing. A cracked, faded, and barely visible sign advertising some sort of tournament lay off to one side, forgotten for who knew how long. Even as the twins watched, one large sign dangling by merely a few rusty cables from the top of one of the dilapidated structures finally gave way and fell with a loud crash that was the only sound heard anymore in what had clearly been some sort of city.

"Looks like it was a large city once…" Kuro commented, squinting to see if he could spot the place where the ruins ceased to exist altogether.

"It was." Tatsuhime said. "This was where it all began. And this was where it all ended."

The twins, sensing another story of the past, looked up at her.

"Battle Bladers, several other large tournaments. So many battles. So many firsts. So many lasts. That-" Tatsuhime pointed to a building with a large, faded red plus sign painted on one of the few walls still standing, "Was where every last one of the Legendary Bladers drew his last breath. The ruins we stand atop now are where they all had the last battle all together, before Gingka fell to the ground coughing and had a stroke that nearly took him then and there. It was at that point that they all finally decided to not battle, and Kaminari would not let Gingka do so again after that. Then again, he never could. He never did leave the hospital after that day, something which he was not happy about in the slightest. And Kaminari never left his side. The next time any of us saw her out of that room… Was the day she took him to his grave and buried him."

The kids reached up and swiped tears from their eyes at Tatsuhime's words, looking surprised as a tear slid down her cheek as well.

"Ryuga went a mere two days later… And within a month… They were all gone…" Tatsuhime whispered before her eyes once more steeled and she turned, jumping down from the rock with a grunt.

"What was this city's name?" Kuro asked.

"It was only the center of the Beyblade world." Tatsuhime grunted. "Metal Bey City. Once the most famous city in the world. Now, it is forgotten and ruined. Now come on. We have one more bey to gather before heading back to those old idiots to wake up the beys."

"You mean Nari and the others?" Kuro said.

"Yeah, them." Tatsuhime huffed, shoving a large rock aside and revealing a dusty staircase leading down into the darkness.

"Come on. We'll spend the night inside as usual."

The twins groaned under their breaths, not wanting to end up sleeping in yet another dusty, stinky tomb, which they had already done several times over the past few weeks.

"Last one." Tatsuhime growled. "Get inside."

The twins scuttled in silently, depending on Tatsuhime's light as she sealed the rock above them and lit a flame down the staircase, heading into yet another tomb with its statues and colored crystalline pillar indicating where yet another old and formerly powerful person was sleeping.

"We can't just grab it and fly back to them immediately?" Kuro asked.

"If I've told you once I've told you a dozen times, when I use my power it attracts our enemies' attention." Tatsuhime growled. "They can tell exactly where we are, and that's the last thing we want."

"Oh…" Kuro sighed. "I just don't like staying here…"

"Well deal with it." Tatsuhime grunted, retrieving several pieces from above the golden pillar and placing them in her pouch, which was now heavy with bey parts. However, instead of moving away and laying down as the twins expected her to, she paused and placed her hand on the pillar, which immediately glowed gold and became transparent, revealing the old man inside. His wrinkled face was peaceful, yet held a look of extreme sorrow. THe twins swore they could see tear streaks, still down his wrinkled cheeks, appearing to be still fresh.

"Still sleeping peacefully, I see, Kenta." Tatsuhime said softly, having forgotten that the twins were there. Their eyes widened as her hand went through the pillar, stopping to rest on the wrinkled cheek of the person inside.

"He was the last to go. Hence the sorrow on his face. He had to watch all the others go before him." Tatsuhime said, rubbing her thumb along the side of his nose. Kuro and Shiroi shuddered slightly at the fact that she was actually touching the dead body.

Tatsuhime released a heavy sigh, reaching up with her opposite hand to catch the stray tear that dared slide from her eye. She glared at it for an instant, as if scolding it for escaping, then removed her hand from Kenta's face and stepped away from the pillar, causing it to return to its opaque state.

"Get some rest. Nari and the others are not far, but we will leave early tomorrow morning, the moment the sun is up." Tatsuhime grumbled, walking to the corner farthest from the twins and sitting down, her red eyes shining watchfully in the light from her flames, which was slowly dimming as she calmed down and prepared to sleep for the night.

Kuro and Shiroi nodded and laid down back to back, a position which they had become accustomed to sleeping in over the past couple of weeks. Their thoughts drifted back to all they had seen over the past couple of weeks. Other than Tatsuhime, they had seen no living people. Then again, Tatsuhime wasn't exactly human. They had learned much. Undoubtedly they had missed a lot of school. Hopefully they wouldn't be in trouble. Somehow they doubted that their teachers would accept "we were busy saving the world" as an excuse. Only time would tell.

Shiroi allowed her eyes to drift over to the pillar in the back of the room. She had seen many such pillars now. This was the ninth, to be exact. But this was the first time Tatsuhime had actually spoken as if directly to the blader who was no longer actually there. Shiroi wondered what stories they could have told. She had wondered that the previous eight times Tatsuhime had made her and her brother sleep inside a tomb. She was wondering it now.

Kuro's mind was along a similar track to his sister's. He had also wondered what stories the dead would have told had they been alive. Tatsuhime had given only a brief description of what each one had been like while he was alive. Perhaps the beys that had been under their command would be willing to tell more. Kuro watched Tatsuhime as the dragon woman stared at the ceiling, her mask ever present on her face. He wondered many things about her. Multiple questions were in his mind, hanging unanswered. He realized that he had never actually seen her entire face. Only her eyes were ever truly visible, always blazing with a ferocity that clearly spoke of the fact that she was not at all human. Kuro wondered if the other beys were the same.

"Hey, Tatsuhime…" He spoke softly, catching the dragon's attention.

"What is it?" She grunted.

"The other beys… You said that you all had an earth name, that said what creature you were, and a name that only those who met you in your human form knew… What were theirs?"

Tatsuhime blinked. "You will know in time. Once they are awakened it will be clear."

"Well yeah, but… I want you to tell me, please?"

Tatsuhime sighed. "Just go to sleep…"

"Just one? What was… Was it Kenta? What was his?"

"Kenta was the blader, and Isamu's earth name was Sagittario. A centaur archer. Now go to sleep. I will not answer any more questions." Tatsuhime growled.

"Okay… Thanks." Kuro sighed, closing his eyes. However, no sooner had he done so than a surprised gasp came from Tatsuhime.

Both twins sat up, looking at the dragon woman in confusion. Her red eyes were focused on the pouch that hung around her waist. It was glowing, in a mixture of brilliant colors. Blue, red, gold, violet, green, fuchsia. An entire rainbow seemed to have lit up the black pouch that had shown no activity for the last two weeks.

"What…?" Kuro said.

Tatsuhime scrambled to her feet. "Remember what I said about not traveling at night or me being in dragon form?"

"Yeah…?"

"Forget about it. Climb on. We're going back to the others and we're going now." Tatsuhime growled.

"Ehh?! W-why?!" The twins became nervous at her tone.

Tatsuhime began glowing and transforming, her face dead serious.

"Mao has awoken."

* * *

 **Hang on to that cliffhanger for about two minutes because I'm double updating today (Yay for finishing stories over fall break!) There are three chapters left, meaning that the second chapter for today is also the second-to-last chapter of the entire story. Enjoy!**


	9. Revival

**Second chapter for today. Also second to last chapter of the story, and some of you who have been following me for a while know what that means! Enjoy!**

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Moments after Tatsuhime's sudden statement that they were leaving, the twins found themselves on the dragon's back, hanging on for dear life as she slithered rapidly through the air, away from a rapidly widening circle of blackish-purple clouds and red lightning.

"Who is Mao, exactly?" Kuro asked nervously as he glanced over his shoulder at the deadly-looking storm.

"Nemesis. I've mentioned him a few times before." Tatsuhime grunted. "The Legendary Bladers had sealed him away but Inazuma must have broken him out. Meaning that Inazuma somehow found a way out himself… How that could have happened, I do not know, now shut up, I'm flying here."

Kuro sighed and intertwined his fingers with the ridge of fur down the dragon's back, strengthening his grip as she whipped back and forth through the air as fast as she could, streaking like a meteor through the sky.

"Well it took you guys long enough to get back." Nari said as Tatsuhime barreled into the room, nearly giving all of the occupants a heart attack.

"We need to put these together. Now." Tatsuhime growled, dumping the contents of the bag roughly on the table.

"Our old fingers can't screw them all together but we can match them up."

"Is everyone here?" Tatsuhime sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance.

"Yes." Nari said, already reaching for several scattered pieces.

"How long will it take them to wake up?" Kuro asked.

"Once put together, a mere instant." Tatsuhime sighed. "Less than a minute, but there will be an enormous surge of power with all nine at once. Mao will detect it and be here within minutes and the battle will begin. That is why we had to wait to wake them.

"Then what are we waiting for? He's already awakening, and will be completely free in minutes, if the sensors we have in place are any indicator." Sutoshi growled.

"Does everyone have all of the pieces to each bey together?" Nari asked, looking around with the pieces of Samurai Pegasus laid out in front of her.

"They're still glowing?" Kuro blinked.

"Because Mao is awakening. They are responding to him. There were ten parts to the star fragment, ten that became eleven when I passed half of mine to Isamu. Mao has one of these." Tatsuhime said, lightly tossing several small devices around the table.

"One old person per bey huh?" Kuro chuckled.

"Oi, watch it kid." Sutoshi looked ready to tackle the teen.

"Calm yourself, Sutoshi." Nari said, picking up one of the tools Tatsuhime had tossed out and beginning ot assemble the bey in front of her, her old fingers slipping a few times.

Silence fell around the room as the tension rose, Shiroi, Kuro, and Tatsuhime watching silently as nine pairs of wrinkled hands put nine gleaming beys back together.

"Stand back." Tatsuhime said as the elderly group screwed in the facebolts, somehow all finishing and setting both beys and tools down at the exact same time.

Kuro and Shiroi watched, tense, but nothing happened.

"Are we missing something?" Nari looked confused. "They should have awakened by now."

"Only one thing is missing." Tatsuhime said.

"And you didn't bother telling us this?" Nari crossed her arms and looked upset.

"Oh it's here. Just not in place." Tatsuhime said, stepping forwards and holding up the gleaming black and red bey that was her own.

"At last, I am free!"

Inazuma stepped back slightly as a pillar of dark energy rose from the portal that he had created.

"All is done as you wished. I assume you also were able to detect my idiot successor's hasty retreat from one of the tombs of our enemies?"

'Yes. They are not yet ready then." Mao chuckled as he took shape, a tall, muscular, black-haired man with glowing red-purple eyes that spoke of nothing but pure evil.

"And if all goes according to your plan they never will be?" Inazuma said.

"Exactly. And so far all has gone according to plan." Mao chuckled. "I will destroy the world this time. And nothing will be able to scramble around fast enough to stop me. Tatsuhime seems to have been having trouble formulating her own plans, has she not? She has barely shown up at all. She cannot have gotten all of them on her own. She was missing the original piece to start the process."

"She could have broken into the tombs?"

"I doubt that. They were quite well sealed, were they not? You even tried to break into them for me, as I recall, and failed utterly."

"My apologies."

"At least we know our enemies cannot even gather themselves back together." Mao chuckled.

"We can go pay them a visit and take them out first. I know at least in general where they are." Inazuma said.

"Lead the way then, before I get too excited and destroy you first." Mao said, black smoke pouring from his mouth as he cackled and shifted forms into an enormous, shadowy dragon that pulsated with the power he possessed.

"Of course." Inazuma transformed into the three-headed dragon that he was, slithering into the air effortlessly before turning and darting away from the desolate island, leading his dark master towards Japan.

Soon enough, people began screaming as they spotted the two dragons flying overhead, the dark clouds spreading and covering the entire earth just as they had a few hundred years before.

"Here we are." Inazuma chuckled as he landed and reverted to humanoid form, looking up at the library building.

At that moment, the very earth pulsated strongly. Mao growled in annoyance as he landed, looking around.

"They're near. I can feel them." The dark bey snarled, whirling in every which direction.

"They're right above us now." Tatsuhime said, having placed her bey in the center of the circle of others.

"Are they all okay?!" Kuro asked, looking worriedly at the group of elderly men and women. The moment Tatsuhime had landed in the center, a shockwave had rippled through the room, knocking them all back.

"Stay back! Do not go to them!" Tatsuhime snarled as Shiroi stepped towards Sutoshi.

"B-but they could be hurt badly!" Kuro said.

"I said stay back!" Tatsuhime outright roared, sending the twins scuttling for cover behind an overturned table.

"Well then. This is rather interesting." Nari grunted, getting up.

Kuro and Shiroi blinked, peering over the edge of the table as every last one of them got up and stood, stronger than before.

"Getting the idea now?" Tatsuhime grunted to the twins.

"Oi, no being a grumpy face Tatsuhime." Nari said. her blue eyes pulsating and glowing brightly.

"Yeah, yeah. Welcome back all of you. I'm not running any more errands." Tatsuhime grunted.

Shiroi and Kuro gasped. "Wait, are you….?!"

Nari turned to the two with a smile, her age dropping away instantly as her curly hair straightened, spiked, and lengthened, changing to a brilliant red color as her body straightened and strengthened. Similar changes occurred in the bodies of the others, as age reversed.

"Man that feels a lot better." Sutoshi tossed away the cane he had been holding, causing it to become embedded in the wall.

"Allow me to formally introduce my true self. Due to that part of me being comatose, I was unable to fully remember before. My name is not Nari. I am Kaminari."

"Whoa…" The twins were frozen in shock.

"Oi, Kat. No messing with Fukiko. We have a battle to win first." Kaminari shot a fiery glare at the now green-haired male and the fuchsia-haired girl he was attempting to wrestle with.

"Yeah, Ka-ka. You heard her." Fukiko teased, her golden eyes sparkling.

"All of the Legendary Beys were here all along. We merely had to awaken them." Tatsuhime said. "Now are you idiots done bickering or are you gonna let Nemesis take over the world before we can stop him?"

"Just as long as we have your full cooperation this time, Tatsuhime." Kaminari said, pulling some black fabric over her nose and mouth as her outfit changed to a skin tight ninja one.

"I have a score to settle no matter what it takes." Tatsuhime growled, her eyes pulsating and glowing brilliantly.

"You guys stay here. We'll take care of this." Kaminari said, glowing and transforming into a light blue winged horse wearing gleaming blue armor.

Kuro and Shiroi nodded before Tatsuhime burst through the ceiling in dragon form, a loud roar attracting the attention of the two dark dragons outside.

"It's just you then, is it?" Mao sneered. "You failed last time."

"Oh no. Your eyesight must be going bad, Mao, because we are all here." Kaminari whinnied as she darted into the air and hovered above the others.

"So then… Let the battle begin."

* * *

 **Yep. Cliffhanger. Double update and I'm still leaving you with a cliffhanger. Now... Since it's the second to last chapter... I have a mysterious statement for you guys to solve. There are two clues. First:**

Every story has a beginning. Some are more dramatic than others. Some begin with a frightened woman. Some begin with information, such as a length of time between two points. Some begin with a young girl who just wants to find her father. Some begin with a description of a legend. They begin in many ways, but are those truly beginnings? Many of them are not. Many of them could have started long before they did.

 **Ponder over that. And then go check my DeviantArt page under my username GalaxyPegasus14. Until next time, Galaxy out!**


	10. Battle

**Guys! This is the final chapter! Woohoo! Enjoy! Oh, but one more thing first. It would seem that some people spotted the figure in the background of the lightning on the cover image. I had some people ask me if that was Gingka. It's not Gingka. It's Kaminari. She's hidden behind the lightning. XD**

* * *

The two groups stared each other down for several moments, ten pairs of eyes staring into four. Eventually, Mao roared in anger and flew at the ten creatures in front of him. Inazuma flew right for Tatsuhime, who roared a challenge. Some of the people nearby ran and hid as far as they could get, while others took pictures. Kuro and Shiroi, watching from below, merely stared in awe as Kaminari easily evaded Mao's initial attack, flapping her wings and soaring higher.

"What can you possibly do without your bladers' command to guide you!" Mao cackled as he flared his darkness and enveloped all ten of his opponents in it.

Kaminari suddenly felt as if she were chained, alone. The winged horse froze, her mind clouding. This was her first battle without Gingka, the first battle since the stroke that had weakened him and eventually taken his life. The images of that moment flashed in her mind repeatedly, altogether too fresh even now, over two hundred years later.

"Go, Kaminari!"

She could have sworn she could hear his voice, the slight tremor in it showing his age as he had battled Kyoya that day.

"Not so fast, Gingka!" Kyoya called, one wrinkled hand gripping a cane while the other hand swept to the side in the usual dramatic fashion.

"... Is grandpa really still battling?" a pair of young adults entered the stadium.

"Not so fast! Pegasu-" Gingka froze mid-sentence.

"Kaminari!" Katsutoshi sounded the alarm as Kyoya froze midway through commanding a counterattack, his eyes widening. Kaminari whirled and was at Gingka's side before the old blader even hit the ground, having suddenly collapsed, coughing weakly.

"Call the hospital!" The winged woman exclaimed, swiftly gathering Gingka's frail body into her arms, her still-youthful face shining with worry. "Stay with me, Gingka… Hang on… You'll be okay." She whispered before leaping into the air and flying as fast as her wings would carry her to the hospital.

Once Kaminari got there, she handed Gingka into the care of the doctors, who would be able to help him more than she could. It was in that moment that she, for the first time, felt utterly helpless. In every other battle she had been able to help Gingka, to protect him. But she couldn't protect him from his own humanity.

Kaminari sat in the waiting room, ignoring the surprised stares from people who knew very well who she was, but wondered what she, with her practically eternal youth, was doing there. Yet nobody bothered her as her eyes dimmed from their former brightness, tears managing to slip as she felt Gingka's spirit weakening.

She had watched him age, yet until now she had forgotten that humans did not last nearly as long as beys. Kaminari was near-immortal. She had forgotten that Gingka was not, and the sudden reminder of that fact was something she had not been prepared for.

M-miss?"

Kaminari looked up, her eyes flashing slightly at the nervous doctor standing in the doorway.

"You can see him now, if you'd like. He's resting and we think he'll be okay." The doctor said. "Room 398."

Kaminari nodded and silently stood, moving with a swiftness and grace she was born with. In moments, she was at Gingka's side once more, her gloved fingers intertwining with his wrinkled ones.

"H...ey…" Gingka whispered through an oxygen mask.

Kaminari sniffled slightly, removing her ninja mask.

"Don't cry…" Gingka smiled weakly, although Kaminari could see the tiredness behind his golden-brown eyes, the light that was already beginning to dim.

"How can I not…?" She whispered.

"So strong and independent… And crying over me. Silly girl." Gingka chuckled, then coughed.

"You're dying though…" Kaminari sniffled.

"Well then don't look at me like I'm dead. You're not helping me get better." Gingka pouted.

Kaminari leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I'm not leaving… Never…"

Gingka smiled. "I have to die sometime. I'm not gonna be around forever."

"You said though…"

"Now, that was 'till death do us part,' Kaminari. I can't stop myself from dying, like you can."

"I can't stop myself.. I just don't die… Except in extreme circumstances…" Kaminari whispered.

Gingka smiled tiredly, patting her hand. For the next week, neither really moved. Gingka remained bedridden, his eyes slowly dimming until at last the fire died out completely and Kaminari felt as if her heart had been torn in two.

"I love you… Goodbye…"

Gingka's last words, barely audible to anyone else but heard all too painfully in Kaminari's mind every time she thought of him, now echoed once more, as she felt herself sinking. Perhaps she should let Nemesis take her life, go join her blader beyond the stars. Surely he was waiting for her there, along with all of the others. A part of her had died with Gingka, she knew. He had been the only blader she had ever listened to, the only one who had ever understood her.

"My beautiful winged horse… Don't give up…"

She could hear his voice in her mind, faintly.

"I want to…" She replied subconsciously. "I miss you…"

"Fight."

"I don't want to…"

"Fight."

"But…"

"Fight!"

Yes, that was what he would say if he were here. She had never failed an order after she had allowed him to control her, since she had decided to listen to his every command. She would not fail him now. She was not alone. She knew what he would say, could hear it in her mind as if he were still with her.

"Do it now, Kaminari!"

Mao growled as an intense light burst through his darkness, Kaminari spreading her wings fully and whinnying a challenge.

"Come on then!" The dark bey snarled.

"Bring it!" Tatsuhime snarled as she and the others all lined up next to Kaminari.

"We are not alone, Mao. We have each other. And we can still hear our bladers' cries from the past. We know exactly what orders they would give at any given moment. That is the thing you are missing." Kaminari said.

"I need no one." Mao snarled as he flew at them.

"We fight on for those who are gone. We're protecting the world they fought all their lives to protect. We will continue that until our last breaths, as they did. They started it all with us at their sides. We will never give in, never give up, and never lose to anyone who wants to destroy what they saved so many times!" Kaminari whinnied, flapping her wings rapidly and firing bolts of lightning right into Mao's open jaws as he flew at her and the others.

"All at once then?" Tatsuhime growled with a smirk as she flew up next to her, she admitted it, friends.

"We may as well just end it." Katsutoshi growled. "I really don't want to fight this guy all day."

"None of us do. Plus, the longer this goes the more destruction we'll have to help rebuild once all is said and done." Kaminari said.

"That and you and Gingka always did like your flashy endings." Isamu snorted as he drew his bow back and aimed at Mao.

"What, you got a problem with them?" Kaminari let out a whinny and reared up onto her hind legs, thrashing her forelegs in the air for a moment before diving. Lightning flashed around her as she barreled straight into Mao, shoving him to the ground before leaping back into the air and diving repeatedly, never stopping, never hesitating, but continuing an endless assault. The other Legendary Beys quickly followed suit, their combined attack never giving Mao a chance to do anything but defend himself, which he could barely do. Kuro and Shiroi watched in awe, along with every other human being on earth, as the otherworldly battle continued.

"This ends now." Kaminari whinnied as she dove, throwing all of her power into a final attack.

All of the Legendary Beys dove, an enormous explosion nearly but not entirely masking a sudden scream.

"What… Who was that..?" Kuro whispered fearfully.

The next instant, with a loud, angered roar, Mao fell to the ground and disappeared through a portal, chains clanking and sealing around him.

"Finally!" Katsutoshi roared in triumph, landing and digging his claws into the ground.

"This battle was not won without a cost." Tatsuhime said solemnly as she landed, shifted to humanoid form, and rushed over to a slowly stilling figure laying off to the side.

The others gasped in surprise and also rushed over. Kuro and Shiroi climbed out of hiding and soon followed.

"Kaminari…" Tatsuhime whispered as she sat down next to the head of the winged horse, who was breathing heavily, each breath she took getting weaker.

"I'm sorry…" Kaminari whinnied softly, blood streaming from her side and staining her light blue feathers.

"You fought well. We'll take it from here." Katsutoshi said, laying one hand on the neck of the winged horse.

Kaminari smirked slightly. "You know what this means…?"

Katsutoshi scowled. "Shut up. Just shut up."

"I'm still the stronger bey… You… Never.. Beat… Me…" Kaminari whispered before her eyes closed and she went fully limp.

The remaining nine lowered their heads, a tear falling from every eye as they realized that their number had just been lessened by one in an instant, just as had happened with their bladers.

* * *

The next thing Kaminari knew was a gentle hand on her broad cheek and another down her long horse's nose. She quivered slightly as she felt her facial armor being removed carefully. Blue eyes opened as the winged horse lifted her head slightly, feeling as if she had just awoken from a long sleep. She rolled from her side onto her stomach, tucking her long legs underneath her and immediately putting her head within the reach of a gentle caress from the person she saw seated at her side.

"You did well, Kaminari." Gingka said with a smile, stroking the cheek of the winged horse as she closed her eyes and pressed her long nose into his chest, breathing in his scent just as she had often done when they were both alive. Gingka ducked under her nose and wrapped both arms around her powerful neck, intertwining his fingers with her mane.

"You fought well. Good job. The others can take it from there." Gingka said.

"I missed you…" Kaminari nickered softly, enjoying the feeling of her blader's hands running through her mane once again.

Gingka smiled and pulled away, putting a hand on her nose. The years that his face had held when he had left earth were gone, and he now looked just as he had in his prime, blazing golden-brown eyes smiling at her from between strands of blazing red hair.

"Come on. Let's go bug Kyoya." Gingka said with a mischievous grin.

Kaminari snorted and stood. "I should have known you'd say that." She said.

Gingka laughed lightly and moved to her side, ducking under her wings. "Well, you know me." He said, putting his hands on her broad back and jumping up with a skill acquired through much practice.

"Oi, riding so soon?" Kaminari snorted, spreading her wings.

Gingka chuckled. "Got a problem?"

"Not at all." Kaminari whinnied and reared as Gingka intertwined his fingers into her mane and gripped her sides firmly with his legs.

"Well then… Go, Pegasus!"

A fierce whinny echoed, notifying the other Legendary Bladers that Gingka and Kaminari had been reunited once again. And this time, they would never again be separated, as both had finished their lives and moved on to what was beyond. A streak of lightning blazed across the sky, as an excited laugh echoed combined with an excited whinny. Everyone looked up and smiled as Kaminari's wings carried her and Gingka into their future, an eternity as blader and bey, united as one forever.

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 **Yay for finishing stories with dramatic and sudden plot twists! Okay, so this story didn't turn out as well as I thought it would but I still finished it. My next project, however, will be better. (I hope.) Those of you who went and checked my DA already know what it is. Those of you who did not... Well you're finding out a week later than everyone else I suppose.**

 **I swear, the plotline for this darn thing just won't leave me alone. This is the second time now that I've gone 'okay I'm done' and then it goes 'haha nope.' So, coming back with not another sequel, but instead a prequel... Look out next weekend for Stormflight: Origins. Yep. There's gonna be a fifth one now. Galaxy out!**


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